Support for household utility devices



Dec. 19, 1950 H. F. SCHMIDT ET AL SUPPORT FOR HOUSEHOLD UTILITY DEVICES Filed March 20, 1947 w 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Howard F chm/af, John C. qu/ezzs Glendon 7T er/ach Dec. 19, 1950 H. F. SCHMIDT ET AL SUPPORT FOR HOUSEHOLD UTILITY DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1947 IN V EN TORS Mm m w N 6 ET w on r0 ad Wn m 6 M r .6 WW

John 6.6

Patented Dec. 19, 1950 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUHFORT FOR HOUSEHGLD UTILITY DEVICES Application March 20, 1947, Serial No. 735,825

4 Claims.

This invention relates to motor driven utility devices and more particularly to a power transmitting means adapted to carry interchangeably a plurality of household devices such as beaters, buffers and fruit juicers.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of standard for supporting power transmitting means which operates household devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a standard for a power transmitting means an improved clamping means for releasably holding the power transmitting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of standard for a powertrans- 'mitting means which is adapted to support the latter a variety of positions dependent upon the task to be performed.

Other objects and features of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification and appended drawings illustrating certain preferred embodiments in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a standard according to the present invention supporting a power transmitting means which carries a beater device;

2 is a rear elevational View and illustrates the power transmitting means supporting a juicer device;

Figure 3 is a top plan view but with the power transmitting means omitted for clarity; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the separate elements of the clamping assembly.

As shown in the drawings the standard l comprises an elongated member 2 having a generally tapered end 3. At each side of the elongated member Z2 and adjacent the opposite end Li thereof are secured a pair of outwardly extending generally triangular elements 5, as seen in Figure 3. A pair of rods 6 pass through spaced transverse openings or bores in the elongated member 52 and extend outwardly from either side of the member 2. These outwardly extending portions of the rods 6 are adapted to fit into recesses provided in the oppositely disposed generally triangular elements 5. A pair of pins 1 are passed through the top surfaces 8 of each of the triangular elements and engage the sides of the rods 6 to prevent movement thereof out of the recesses in which they are located and in this manner rigidly secure the generally triangular elements 5 to the elongated member 2. The elongated member 2 and the two generally triangular elements 5 form the base of the standard I.

Near the end 3 of the elongated member 2 and extending upwardly from the member 2 and at right angles thereto is a stand member ll. The stand member l i is rigidly held in place by a pair of studs l2 which pass through openings in the elongated member and are threaded into the base of the stand member. At the upper end of the stand member ii there is provided a finger-like portion it which extends outwardly from side it? of stand ii and has an inwardly facing surface l6 which is concave-or arouate in shape. The lower end of the arcuate surface 116 connects with a flat horizontal surface ll provided near the top of stand H. A recess E8 is located in the upper end of the stand member I l which extends from the flat surface ll and opens into the side 2! of stand member H. The rear defining wall 22 of the recess l8, as shown in Figure 2, is generally arcuate in shape.

Carried at the upper end of the stand member l l is a clamping means 23. The clamping means 23 comprises a generally arcuate finger-like clamp member 2d, a locking element 25 and a link member 253. The clamp member 2 3 is rovided with an opening or bore 27 passing through one end 28 thereof and a second bore 3i horizontally spaced therefrom. The locking element 25 comprises a finger portion 32 at one end and at the opposite end 33 has provided a pair of vertically spaced openings or passages 34 and 35 passing therethrough. The link member 23 is provided with a pair of bores 36 and 3i. In assembled position, as best shown in Figure 2, the end 28 of clamp member 2 3 and end 33 of locking element 25 are disposed within the recess 58. A pin 38 is carried by stand element l passes through opening 27 in end 28 and thereby eiiects a pivotal connection of the clamp member 24 to the stand II. It is noted that opening 21 is spaced from the vertical axis of stand H. A second pin 39 carried by stand H passes through opening 35 in end 33 and pivotally connects locking element 25 to stand H. A pair of pins 4! and 42 pass through Opening- 3! in clamp member 2% and opening 34 in locking element 25 and openings 3'6 and 3'! of link member 2% to pivotally connect'the opposite ends of the link member 25 to the clamp member 26 and locking element 25. As seen the link member 25 is entirely disposed Within the recess Hi. It is apparent that manual actuation of the locking element 25 will effect movement of the clamp member 2 1 into and out of clamping position by reason of the operative connection therewith provided by the link member 26. Attention is here directed to Figure 2 wherein the clamping means 23 is shown in clamped osition.

In this position bore 2? in clamping member 26 and bores 34 and in locking element 25 are vertically aligned and are located on the vertical axis of the stand I l.

A power transmitting means 63 is adapted to be supported by the standard 5, being held thereon by the clamping means 23. The power transmitting means 43 comprises a body or housing 24 embodying a pair of oppositelyv disposed curved side wall sections 55 and as and a pail of fiat walls 47 and 43 parallel to one anotherand which form the top and bottom walls of the housing. The conformation of the curved wall sections and 46 is such as to permit the housing 4-; to be readily fitted into clamping means 23 wherein one curved wall section 45 will nest in the fingerlike portion l4 and the curved clamp member 24 will fit over the opposite curved wall section 46 when in clamping position, while a fiat wall of the housing will rest on the flat surface I! of stand i i. The clamp member 24 is held in close engagement with the curved wall sections through the locking element 25 and the link member 28 when these clamping elements assume the position shown in Figure To release the power transmitting means 33 the locking elements 25 is moved in a clockwise direction viewed in Figure 2, about its pivot 39 to move pin 42 off the vertical axis of stand 5 i to actuate link 26 and effect pivotal movement of the clamp member 26 about pivot pin 58 and out of engagement with the curved wall sections of housing A34 thereby releasing it from clamping pressure, whereupon the housing it may be shifted longitudinally to a new position and reclamped or the housing may be reversed or rotated 180 on its own longitudinal axis to bring the opposite fiat wall onto the flat horizontal surface ll of stand Ii and the clamping means 23 is then operated to bring the elements thereof in clamping position to hold the housing in its new position.

Releasably mounted on the forward end 5! of the housing 4- 1 is a beater head attachment 52 carrying beater elements 53. While at the opposite end of the housing a quick disconnect fitting 54 is attached. The quick disconnect fitting 54 serves to couple a flexible drive shaft to the power transmitting means 43 whereby power from a remotely located power source, such as a motor (not shown) can be transmitted to the means 43 where it can be utilized to drive the particular attachment carried thereby. The particular mechanism disposed within housing 44 and in the beater head attachment 52 for carrying the rotative force provided by the flexible drive shaft 55 to the gear system in the beater head attachment 52 to drive heaters 53 forms no part of the present invention and therefore is not shown here. However for a disclosure of gearing in the beater head 52 and a drive system utilizable in housing 44 reference is made to patent application, Serial No. 735,824 filed March 20, 1947, wherein a system is fully and completely described.

As shown in Figure 1 the power transmitting means 43 carries beater elements 53 which are shown disposed within a bowl 58. The bowl rests upon a turn-table 57 having a hub 58 adapted to be received within an opening 59 provided in elongated member 2 of the standard I, the hub 58 is freely rotatable within opening 55 whereby the bowl is also free to rotate durin a mixing operation. The ability of the housing 44 to be moved longitudinally on the support provided it by standard I and to be clamped at a variety of places along its length to rigidly hold it adapts the power transmitting means to be used with bowls of varying diameter or positioned at a variety of places in a bowl since this movement permits the beater elements to be positioned within the bowl at a point where it is best adapted to efiect mixing of the material disposed within the bowl. As indicated by the dotted line representations in Figure 1 the beater head attachment 52 is adapted to occupy operative positions on each side of the vertical axis of the bowl 56 whereby a reversal in the direction of rotation of bowl 56 is obtained, the bowl 56 being rotated by the beater elements in a different direction when the beater head attachment 52 lies to one side of the vertical axis than it does when it is positioned on the opposite side. It is obvious that the beater head attachment could be located at the vertical axis in which position there would be no rotation of bowl 56.

Figure 2 illustrates the use of a juicer device 6| with the power transmitting means 43, the juicer device 6| being shown in cross-section. To accommodate the juicer device 6! the power transmitting means 43 was rotated 180 from its position of Figure 1, and clamped in this new position by the clamping means 23. The juicer device 6| comprises a juicer bowl 62, having a hub 63 through which passes a shaft 64. A bearing 65 is provided within the hub 63 for the shaft 64. At the upper end of the shaft 64 is attached a reamer element 66 comprising a cone portion 61 and a body portion 68 having slots 69 therein through which juices are adapted to pass. The shaft 64 is connected at its lower end to the beater attachment head 52 whereby power is provided for effecting rotation of the reamer 65. A spout H opens from the juicer bowl 62 whereby juices can be led off.

It is here noted that the particular construction of the juicer device 6| shown here forms no part of the present invention but any conventional juicer device can be utilized. A juicer device has been shown in conjunction with the power transmitting means 43 merely to point the adaptability of this means to be rotated on its longitudinal axis to accept a utility device requiring a position for the means 43 different than that assumed when it is utilized for a beating or mixing operation.

A manually operated switch 72 is carried by housing 43 to effect turning on and off of motive power to the power transmitting means.

The drawings illustrate the universalness of the present invention. The power transmission means 43 is adapted to carry a variety of Work tools or devices for the performance of a variety of tasks. The standard I and the clamping means 23 carried thereby adapts the power transmission means 43 to be moved longitudinally or to be rotated about its longitudinal axis, as may be required by a particular work device or a particular task, and to be securely and rigidly held in place in the desired position while being operated.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a standard, a power transmitting means, and clamoing means provided on said standard for releasably engaging said power transmitting means, said clamping means comprising a pivotally mounted grasping element adapted to engage said power transmitting means, a pivotally mounted locking means, and a link member pivotally mounted at its ends to said grasping element and said locking means through which said lookin means can move said grasping element into and out of operative position.

2. In a device of the character described, a standard, a power transmitting means embodying an elongated housing having a generally arcuate wall, and clamping means provided on said standard adapted to releasably engage said housing at a plurality of points along the length thereof, said clamping means comprising a pivotally mounted grasping element having a portion thereof of generally arcuate shape conforming substantially to the shape of said generally arcuate wall of the housing, a pivotally mounted locking means, and a link member pivotally connected at its ends to said grasping element and said locking means through which said locking means is adapted to actuate said generally arcuate portion into engagement with said generally arcuate wall to apply a clamping force thereon.

3. In a motor powered utility device, a standard having a base and a stand element having a recess therein, a power transmitting means, and a clamping means carried by said standard for releasably supporting said power transmitting means, said clamping means comprising a grasping element having a portion thereof disposed within said recess, means pivotally mounting said grasping element to said stand element, a looking means having a portion thereof disposed within said recess, means pivotally mounting said locking means to said stand element, a link member wholly disposed within said recess, and means pivotally connecting the ends of the link member respectively to the grasping element and to the locking means, said locking means beins actuable to move said grasping element through said link member into and out of clamping position relative to said power transmitting means.

4. In a motor driven device, a standard having a base and a stand element, said stand element having a fixed finger-like portion extending therefrom and having a generally arcuate shape,

a fiat surface on said stand element merging into said arcuate finger-like portion, a power transmitting means embodying an elongated housing having a pair of oppositely disposed generally arcuate shaped walls and a pair of flat parallel walls connecting said generally arcuate shaped walls, said housing being rotatable on its longitudinal axis to present either of said flat walls to rest upon said flat surface on said stand element, and a clamping means comprising a movable finger-like member having a por tion of generally arcuate shape, said fixed fingerlike portion being adapted to fit over one generally arcuate wall of said housing and said movable finger-like member being adapted to fit over the opposite generally arcuate wall, a pivotally mounted locking means, and a link member pivotally connected at its ends to said movable finger-like member and said movable locking means, said locking means being actuable to move said movable finger-like member through said link member into engagement with an arcuate wall of said housing to clamp said housing between said fixed and said movable finger-like member, and to actuate said movable finger-like member out of clamping position whereby said housing may be moved longitudinally to a new position for clamping.

HOWARD F. SCHMIDT. GLENDON T. GERLACH. JOHN C. SQUIERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,154,904 Bain Sept. 28, 1915 1,329,816 Winslow Feb. 3, 1920 1,408,184 Farlow Feb. 28, 1922 1,653,772- Knoche Dec. 27, 1927 1,803,446 Warrick May 5, 1931 1,811,499 Gilbert June 23, 1931 1,859,133 Fitzgerald May 17, 1932 1,902,376 Purdin Mar. 21, 1933 2,024,383 Newham Dec. 1'7, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,149 Great Britain of 1910 

